Steam and spray iron

ABSTRACT

A steam and spray iron with an externally coupled vented water supply tank having a sprayer oriented to spray in front of the iron in combination with means to automatically shut off the steaming when the iron is in the heel rest position with a minimum amount of water remaining in the tank.

United States Patent Davidson et al.

[ 51 Aug. 22, 1972 [54] STEAM AND SPRAY IRON [72] Inventors: William E. Davidson, Ontario; Wendell C. Walker, Alta Loma, both of Calif.

[73] Assignee: General Electric Company [22] Filed: May 10, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 141,811 1 [52] US. Cl ..38/77.3 [51] Int. Cl. ..D06f 75/06 [58] Field of Search ..38/77.1, 77.3, 77.5, 77.83

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Kuno ..38/77.3

Ensley ..38/77.3 Knapp ..38/77.3

Primary ExaminerPatrick D. Lawson Attorney-Lawrence R. Kempton, Leonard J. Platt, John F. Cullen, Frank L. Neuhauser, Oscar B. Waddell and Joseph B. Forman [57] ABSTRACT A steam and spray iron with an externally coupled vented water supply tank having a sprayer oriented to spray in front of the iron in combination with means to automatically shut off the steaming when the iron is in the heel rest position with a minimum amount of water remaining in the tank.

8 Clairm, 3 Drawing Figures STEAM AND SPRAY IRON FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a steam and spray iron of the type having an external vented water supply tank that contains a rotatable sprayer and having the supply tank oriented so the sprayer is selectively aimed onto the ironing surface ahead of the iron. Means connected with the tank automatically cuts off the water supply to stop steaming when the iron is on the heel rest position, the automatic means functioning with a minimum amount of water in the tank and being coupled to the iron to ensure proper positioning for automatic shutoff.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART A typical travel flatiron of the steam and spray variety is provided with a chamber in which steam is generated for steam ironing and water is supplied to the chamber through a water pipe to the outer end of which an external water tank is detachably connected. Generally the water tank comprisesa flexible self-supporting symmetrical bulb. When steam is desired, the bulb is coupled by screwing it to the iron thus opening a valve in the coupling and water flows from the bulb to the steam chamber by gravity when the iron is in normal ironing use. When it is upended in the heel rest position, the bulb is generally directed backward and downward so that the water must flow uphill to enter the iron so no water reaches the iron and steaming stops. The bulb has an air vent at its end removed from the coupling so water can freely flow to the internal steam generator. To such a travel iron, it has been known to use a Windex-type sprayer screwed to the top of the bulb so that the iron may also become a spray iron. Generally, it is necessary to operate the. sprayer separately from the ironing operation since the sprayer is, of necessity, an attachment to the bulb and not properly directed without lifting the iron off of the ironing surface to aim the sprayer.

A typical iron of the general type discussed without the sprayer is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,288 of common assignment and has become known as a travel iron. While it is possible to bend and realign the sprayer mechanism in order to spray directly in front of the iron in such an iron arrangement, it would require a nonstandard and consequently expensive sprayer and still would be awkward for the user because of the bulb location which would not provide a simple motion of the hand from the handle to the sprayer and back again.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the inventionv is directed to a steam and spray iron of the general type that employs an external vented water supply tank which usually contains a sprayer and is connected to a coupling on the side of the iron so that the tank normally does not contact the ironing surface when the iron is upended in heel rest position. In order to make the spray attachment more convenient to use, the external tank is reoriented to lean in a forward direction to aim the standard type sprayer onto the ironing surface directly forward of the iron when in use. Generally, the tank is a bulb-shaped symmetrical tank with the sprayer insertable to extend out the top thereof and, for automatic shut off a means is provided connecting the tank vent and substantially the low point of the tank interior when the iron is in heel rest position. This means may conveniently be a tube between the vent and low point and which is disposed out of the way substantially tangentially along the bulb inner periphery. An additional means is provided to locate the tank, when it is coupled to the iron, to ensure that the connecting means is always disposed at the low point of the tank. Thus, the main object of the invention is to provide a steam and spray iron that uses an externally mounted vented water supply tank containing a sprayer which structure is re-oriented for more convenience by the user and is provided with an automatic cut-off to stop steaming when the iron is upended.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the iron showing the external tank and spray mechanism directed toward the front of the iron;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the iron upended in the heel rest position with the tank broken away and sprayer omitted to show the tube venting structure; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tank 4, FIG. 2, with a portion broken away to show the vented connection.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT While the invention may be applicable to any steam and spray iron employing an external water tank, such irons are generally considered travel type irons and the invention will be so described. Referring to FIG. 1, a flatiron of the light-weight travel type is shown having a soleplate l0 heated by a suitable resistance unit embedded therein in a well-known manner. Attached to the soleplate by suitable means is a cover 12, the soleplate and cover together forming the body of the iron. Attached to the cover at the heel or rear end of the iron is handle 14. The handle may be pivoted on the cover whereby, when the iron is to be packed, the handle may be folded down against the top surface of the cover or the handle may be unpivoted as shown in FIG. 2 if the iron is to be primarily used as a sewing iron. At its rear end the soleplate cover 12 projects beyond the rear edge of the soleplate to act in cooperation with a projection 16 at the rear upper end of the connected handle 14 forming support points when the iron is upended in heel rest position as shown in FIG. 2. Generally, such irons have been provided with an external vented water supply tank 18 that may or may not be detachable and is generally formed as a bulb-shaped symmetrical tank of plastic or other material and is tapered or pear-shaped as shown in FIG. 1. If the bulb is a flexible plastic, the vent may be covered manually or automatically as later explained and the tank squeezed to pump water into the iron for extra steam when desired. The tank, with or without the straight Windex-type sprayer 20 out the top, has generally extended radially out the side of the cover 12 as shown and described in said U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,288 and references therein. Such an arrangement does have the disadvantage of putting the sprayer mechanism too far to the rear of the iron and some distance out from the handle making it awkward to use. Further, in such an arrangement, the sprayer is not directed to the surface in front of the iron so that it becomes, in effect, just a separate source of spray water that functions by the user grasping the bulb or tank 18 and turning the iron until the spray is directed .to the point of use. When such an iron is upended on its heel rest of the FIG. 2 position the tank is usually but not necessarily clear of the ironing surface and the water flows down and away from the coupling 22 that connects the tank and steaming is therefore halted since no water flows into the steam generator.

While it is possible to physically bend the sprayer 20 so that it angles around to the front of the ironing surface, such a solution requires a non-standard sprayer and is therefore costly. Even a bent sprayer in the structure as shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,288 would still be awkward for the user in being to-the rear and far from the handle. Of course, the sprayer can be removed and replaced by a cap but usually is left in and, when the tank is recited herein as containing the sprayer, both ways are intended.

In accordance with the invention, the bulb and sprayer are rearranged to permit directing of the spray in front of the iron'and to automatically shut off the steaming when the iron is upended. To this end, the sprayer mechanism is improved by orienting the coupling means 22 to direct it or lean it in a forward direction as shown in FIG. 1 until the standard sprayer is aimed onto the ironing surface 24 directly forward of the iron when it is used in the ironing position as shown in FIG. 1. It is to be understood that the sprayer 20 is normally rotatably mounted in tank 18 to extend out the top so that it can be adjusted to spray directly in front of the iron. This construction permits the use of a standard Windex-type sprayer and directs the spray button farther forward than heretofore so that the users hand may easily from the handle 14 to the sprayer 20 or even the tank 18 may be grasped with the index finger on the sprayer 20 as in FIG. 1 and the iron pushed from tank 18. Generally, the forward cant of the water tank provides a much more convenient and easily-used spray mechanism that is directed onto the ironing surface directly forward of the iron.

With the coupling means re-oriented into the forward direction as described, normal steaming may be obtained by gravity flow of the water in tank 18 flowing into the iron boiler cavity with the tank being vented at 26. It will be apparent that, when the iron is upended onto its heel rest position as shown in FIG. 2, the reorientation of the tank still permits the water to flow by gravity into the steam generator because of the uptilted bulb where the distance X from the surface is greater than the like distance to the coupling 22 so that the iron continues to steam in the upended position with normal water levOto avoid continuous steaming it is necessary to provide a shutoff that functions when the iron is upended. This may be done by any suitable valve means on or in the tank that is used to cut off the vent to stop steaming and also to avoid any dribbling in case water covers the vent when the iron is in heel rest position. While it need not be automatic, it is convenient to make it so and the invention also discloses a simple shut off that automatically functions when the iron is upended. To this end, a

connection means 28, which may be a simple plastic tube, is provided to connect between vent 26 and substantially the low point of the tank interior when the iron is in its upended or heel rest position as shown in FIG. 2. This connection then connects the vent with the smallest remaining quantity or puddle of water in the tank thus automatically closing the vent and preventing dribbling which could occur any time the water covered vent 26. The automatic shut-off is positive and uses the water in the tank itself as the vent block cut-off means. To avoid any interference with the sprayer mechanism that extends out the top of the tank as shown in FlG. l the tube is disposed substantially tangentially along the tank inner periphery preferably to use minimum tubing as shown in FIG. 3 although any tube length will suffice depending on the vent location. In order that the tube will fall in the low point of the tank on each assembly or each time it isused it is necessary to locate the tank when it is coupled to the iron to ensure that the tube is at the low point and this is controlled by the threads on the coupling structure. In other words, the screw fastening or its equivalent is disposed so that, on a detachable tank, as it is screwed onto the iron at its coupling it will turn up finger tight with the tube 28 in the position shown in FIG. 2 and then stop to put the tube at the low point. If the tank is permanently coupled it will be suitablylocated to ensure the connection means is at the low point. During normal ironing, the automatic shut-off clears or drains of water and acts as the required vent for proper steaming.

The invention, thus provides a simple rearranging of the external tank whereby the sprayer mechanism may be more conveniently operated by the user and may be directed to the area of fabric immediately forward of the iron where it is actually desired to use it. The problem created by this reorientation is solved by connecting the vent, with substantially the low point of the tank interior whereby the water itself and vent hole combination are used to automatically and positively shut off the water and thus the steam generation whenever the iron is placed in the heel rest position. F urthermore, the tangential or angular arrangement prevents any draining or dribbling of water when the iron is in the heel rest or upright position because the vent, being higher, is positively closed off by residual water in the tank below the vent.

While there has been described a preferred form of the invention, obvious equivalent variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practised, otherwise then as specifically described, and the claims are intended to cover such equivalent variations.

We claim:

1. In a steam and spray iron wherein the rear of the soleplate cover and connected handle are shaped to provide support points when upended in heel rest position and having an external vented water supply tank containing a sprayer and connected to coupling means to feed water to the iron, the improvement comprising,

orienting said coupling means in a forward direction to aim said sprayer onto the ironing surface directly forward of the iron when in use, and

valve means on said tank to close the vent when said iron is on its heel rest.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said valve means on said tank includes,

means connecting said tank vent and substantially the low point of said tank interior when the iron is in heel rest position, and

means to locate said tank when coupled to ensure said connecting means is at said low point.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said tank is detachable from the iron at said coupling means.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 where said coupling means is disposed on the side of said cover.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein the connecting means is a tube between said vent and low 

1. In a steam and spray iron wherein the rear of the soleplate cover and connected handle are shaped to provide support points when upended in heel rest position and having an external vented water supply tank containing a sprayer and connected to coupling means to feed water to the iron, the improvement comprising, orienting said coupling means in a forward direction to aim said sprayer onto the ironing surface directly forward of the iron when in use, and valve means on said tank to close the vent when said iron is on its heel rest.
 2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said valve means on said tank includes, means connecting said tank vent and substantially the low point of said tank interior when the iron is in heel rest position, and means to locate said tank when coupled to ensure said connecting means is at said low point.
 3. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said tank is detachable from the iron at said coupling means.
 4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 where said coupling means is disposed on the side of said cover.
 5. Apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein the connecting means is a tube between said vent and low point.
 6. Apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said tank is a bulb-shaped symmetrical tank with the sprayer extending out the top thereof.
 7. Apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein the connecting means is a tube between said vent and low point.
 8. Apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said tube is disposed substantially tangentially along said bulb inner periphery with the vent higher than said low point in upended position. 